This invention relates generally to holders and receptacles and more particularly to a receptacle specifically adapted for the orderly retention of bolts, screws, and other small parts as they are removed from internal combustion engines and other machinery during disassembly for repair or overhaul. In the past, it has been common practice, during disassembly of an engine or other machine, for mechanics to randomly place bolts, screws, and miscellaneous small parts into boxes, jars or cans for storage until such time as it is desired to reassemble the machine. If such containers are not available at the time, mechanics have been known to place removed parts on the floor, the workbench or even on the machinery itself. This practice has led to wasted time in relocating specific bolts, screws, and other small parts required at a particular time during the reassembly process, as well as to loss of parts through inadvertent scattering and misplacement.
A number of holders for various items are known in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,138,055 to Harrison is directed to a holder for newspapers and other periodicals adapted for attachment to a mailbox post. U.S. Pat. No. 4,267,995 to McMillan is directed to a holder for holding a bundle of wires together. U.S. Pat. No. 4,644,610 to Fish is directed to a disc-shaped holder that can be incorporated into a variety of bodies for holding tools, separating wires, etc. U.S. Pat. No. 4,760,624 to Fish is directed to a closer/holder for plastic bags. U.S. Pat. No. 5,205,530 to Fish is directed to an apparatus and method for dispensing radially slitted holders.
It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide an inexpensive receptacle for storing bolts, screws, and other small parts removed during repair of an engine or other machine, in which those items are stored in a segregated, organized arrangement so that they are individually readily accessible by the mechanic at the time of reassembly of the machine.
This and other incidental objects are accomplished in accordance with the illustrated preferred embodiment of the present invention by providing a cardboard polyhedron that includes a sloping front panel having a plurality of perforations thereon for receiving and storing individual bolts and screws and that further includes an internal cavity accessible through an opening in a slightly inwardly sloping rear panel for storing other small parts.